(Untitled)

[goingtodorking]

Time and time again, Karen has one thing made clear to her: grown-ups are strange. Last night, they were all loud and noisy and drunk and then they started kissing each other and even Rollie kissed Karen on the forehead and what Karen thinks is that it doesn't really matter if you care if it's a New Year or an Old Year. It's going to happen

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[playingtheenemy]

Ainsley was feeling fairly chipper in the morning because she really wasn't consuming alcohol anymore. The only problem was that she had no hangover, but the boy was kicking hard as ever and demanding food. Or maybe she was just starved, but either way, food is going to have to happen. She'd be in the kitchen right then if she hadn't caught the flash of a familiar face ducking into a veritable fort.

Ainsley changed paths and slowly approached the sign, standing with her hands on her hips. "Karen? Is there a reason you're denning?"

[goingtodorking]

Denning is a good word, and Karen thinks about that for a moment while she wiggles entirely free of the den and then stands up, hands on her hips.

"Grown-ups are silly," she says. "And today I have to write my New Year's resolutions."

[playingtheenemy]

"I'm a grown-up, too," Ainsley pointed out considerately as she kneeled precariously beside the fort so that Karen would be taller than her. "And you can tell me your New Year's resolutions. I'd really like to hear them, actually!"

[goingtodorking]

"Yes," says Karen non-commitally, looking a little shifty for a moment. "And I can't tell you, Ainsley! I haven't written them yet."

[callofkaren]

The little fort got Karen curious enough to inspect it, and when she saw the sign, she knew she had to at least stop and see what the littler Karen was up to.

"Hey," she called out when she found the entrance, then stepped back when she realized Karen was coming back out. "If I'm a Karen too, does that mean I can join you?"

[goingtodorking]

It's a moment before Karen's entirely free of the den, so she thinks about it and, when she's properly stnading up, she's frowning.

"Yes," she says, finally. "But you have to promise not to be too like a grown-up. I'm going to write my New Year's Resolutions."

[callofkaren]

"I try not to act like a grown up unless I really have to," Karen said, and she realized it was kind of the truth. The last time she'd actually done any work, Paige had still been around to run the still. "What kind of resolutions are you writing?"

[goingtodorking]

"Okay, good," says Karen, slipping her little hand into Karen's and tugging her along. "Come on. We need snacks and juice first."

[giftless]

It had been a long night, but Edmund had not gotten particularly drunk on anything so morning, while early and bright, hadn't been all that terrible in coming. He caught sight of Karen with her bum half out of the little den, wiggling backwards, and stopped with a curious expression. "What are you up to now, Karen?"

[goingtodorking]

She doesn't need to look at him to know that it's Edmund, so she starts talking before she's properly out of the den.

"I built a den," she explains, as though that isn't completely obvious. "And now I'm going to sit inside and write my New Year's Resolutions and not talk to any grown-ups all day."

[palmthemoon]

Shadow was up early because Karen was up early, and there was no sleep to be had when a seven-year-old is awake and antsy. But he was bringing in the new year less hungover than he had in years past; it felt kind of shitty to be imbibing all the alcohols in the world when neither Ainsley nor Rollie were drinking.

Bending over, he lifted the flap up so he could peer inside. He lifted an eyebrow at her.

[goingtodorking]

Sometimes, Karen and Shadow can go for a really long time without talking. Ainsley talks a lot and Rollie talks a lot too but, sometimes, all it tooks with the two of them is a look.

Shadow looks at Karen, one eyebrow raised.
Karen looks right back at him, both eyebrows raised in return.

[palmthemoon]

Shadow took a step back so she had room to come out of her den then straightened up to take a good look at her new creation.

It was pretty impressive as far as dens went, but he hoped Karen was planning on it lasting for the long term. Someone was going to need those chairs.

"Karen's Den, huh?"

[goingtodorking]

"Karen's den," says Karen, and sets her little hands on her little hips. "And the sign says "no grown ups allowed", Shadow, so don't you go in there, okay?"